Necronomicon (anthology of HP Lovecraft). Complete Chronicles of Conan. Silmarillion. Using the Runes. Book of Vile Darkness. Dungeon World. The Burning Wheel. You're welcome.
I am an ole old school dm, been doing it since 1980, was a kid player in late 70's, why do i say this..... don't know, just found your channel and was blown away with your passion. Have enjoyed watching a bunch of your videos the last 3 hours. great stuff.
Drunkens & Dragons: Play D&D Like a Badass I am a new DM, although I should probably call myself an aspiring DM because I haven actually ran a game yet, on account of scheduling problems. As a result, I have had a lot of time to flesh out my world, and while I also get a fair bit of inspiration from H.P. Lovecraft, I have an otherwise completely different bookshelf. I take a lot from world history and folklore(the campaign is set in a magical but not really steampunk version of the world in the nineteen twenties) because I'm a bit of a history buff, I am a big Neil Gaiman fanboy, so a lot of Sandman DNA is strewn about, tiny bits of Game of Thrones is in it for good measure. Heck, I'd even say that the Soulsborne games by from software informed my ideas about exposition. The look of the New York analogue is something like Neo Tokyo in Akira, Niihama from Ghost in the shell, diagon ally from Harry Potter, Gotham, specifically the version from Long Halloween(10 out of 10, would super recommend), and the actual New York from the nineteen twenties, sort of a neon soaked city of magic and sin where your wildest dreams could come true, but that's not very likely. Sorry if I rambled.
overpreparation often becomes railroading. I can understand your feelings. You are anxious because it's your first time and you don't want to be prepared. My suggestion is not to prepare much anyway. And overall, follow the process described in Dungeon World to build the adventure, i.e. Fronts. Much easier.
Pray tell good sir...ever see "LOVECRAFT-FEAR OF THE UNKNOWN"?It's the definitive documentary on HPL's life,influence, and legacy. Neil Gaimen, Guillermo DelToro, John Carpenter, Peter Straub...and many more all chime in. ruclips.net/video/jg9VCf5einY/видео.html
Michael Moorcock Elric series (fighter spellcasters & sentient cursed swords). David Cooks Black Company series (Grimdark Mercs & adventuring companies). Scott Lynch's Gentleman Bastards series (thieves & rogues). Derivative: 3.5e Draconomicon
DM college series would be awesome. Zero to hero: limited knowledge to working knowledge. All DMs had to start somewhere and I would totally watch a series you put together. Cover the gambit of planning, dm screen setup, organization, npc development, towns. I’ve seen a lot of videos but truly enjoy stepping in what you’re throwing down.
Just as Tolkien's Fellowship of the Ring has the prototypical dungeon crawl in the Mines of Moria, RE Howard's The Tower of the Elephant has a magnificent description of the stnd rowdy tavern setting at the beginning of the story .
I would add some of the often campy but still fun movies from the 70s and early 80s to the list. Beastmaster, The Sword and the Sorcerer, Red Sonya, Hawk the Slayer, The Archer: Fugitive from the Empire, Deathstalker. Circle of Iron, and of course the classic Excalibur! And I would have to say that "Reign of Fire" even though it's modern and not D&D style is one hell of a dragon movie. The scene where the male lands on the roof and breaths down into the keep ... damn. Of course, Matthew McConaughey armed with a fire ax is a perfect example of how to play a dwarf.
Robert E. Howard and H.P. Lovecraft actually corresponded. Can't really say they were friends, because Lovecraft was a shut-in and didn't really go out or talk to people. But they were frequent correspondents and Lovecraft was happy for Howard to use some elements of Lovecraft's mythology. Also--I totally agree with you on Burning Wheel. PAINFUL.
Joe Abercrombie's books are full of badass characters and awesomely described violence. Really tempted to make a Bloody Nine npc, and maybe a Curden Craw too, he's awesome.
Man, I just discovered you through your Blades in the Dark video, and gotta say, you're a new favorite. I wanna hang out by the fire, drink, and talk games with you!
If you want to go a little outside the box, I would 100% recommend reading through the two greek historical classics Anabasis by Xenophone and Histories by Herodotus. While based on actual events, they are written in such a way that will instantly feel familiar to fans of modern fantasy literature. Histories read like a precursor to the Silmarillion with a focus on "lore" building while giving context to the adventure of the Anabasis. Since they come from an era with a more primitive understanding of the world and science, references to the gods and stories of myth are scattered throughout the narratives, lending a sense of believability and authenticity to the fantastic. Definitely useful to all aspiring storytellers. 10/10 would read.
This is one of my favorite of your videos. I picked up Conan and HP Lovecraft after watching this a few years ago.. great recommendations. I'm still subscribed but find your older videos more interesting than your new stuff.
If anything, I learned that the answer to "what else should I read?" is "everything" I made way too many content for a weird local anime system by using tips from DnD and cyberpunk2020
I just recently got introduced to D&D by a friend of mine who invited me to join in on a game that he is running. I haven't actually gotten a chance to play yet but if watching videos about it is this entertaining I seriously can't wait to jump in and actually play! Thanks for the reading recommendations
You are putting out super cool and valuable info for the D&D crowd with great focus on becoming a great DM. Thank you, thank you. The books you mention in this video, I vow to seek and buy and ingest. They sound like tremendous grounding that will enhance believable spontaneity and improvisation, as well as good, old fashioned pre-planning and adventure building. I'm building my 2nd DnD adventure for several of my friends, which I hope to kickoff in a couple months. It will have decidedly more non-combat challenges and role-playing with greater number of well-developed, colorful NPC's, and with fewer but more meaningful and thrilling combat encounters. Here is an excerpt of some 'flavor text' in one place of my world. This text is not to be read verbatim to the players but instead for the DM's eyes only to inspire him (or her) to act out the NPC dialogue expressively. So, here it is -----> "Stingy with his ale as well as his trust, SAKA BOOGERS, the proprietor of BOOGERS tavern, is abundant in common sense and twice more in skepticism and suspicion. His two 6’6” tall adopted sons are bouncers that spend much of their time drinking and eating SAKA’s profits and hitting on the clientele or newly hired staff. They are extremely attractive identical twin brothers in appearance only. DAKYL is extremely manly boarderline gruff, while MOONROY is as gay as the day is long. If it weren’t for their diametric mannerisms it would be impossible to tell these gorgeous long blond haired, warrior spirited and lethally skilled swordsmen apart. If it weren't for SAKA's extraordinary tolerance and undying love for his two sons, they would have been out on their ears long time ago." ..... Oh, and BTW, I recently enjoyed the fantasy novel "The Prince of Thorns" by Mark Lawrence. I found it to be a great read, with gritty detail of the medieval times. ... Oh, and your ink on paper drawings are gorgeous. Great line and cross-hatching. Really fine fine art work. Very imaginative. Thanks again for being so generous with your ideas and words of wisdom.
I unfortunately find that a lot of people see anything larger than a magazine and they freak out. "I could NEVER read a book with 200+ pages!" I am here to tell you YES YOU CAN!!! Read, absorb and travel within the limitless bounds of your mind. Great video! I really dig your videos. Keep up the good work and ::raising a glass of porter:: Sláinte!!!
Freaking great video. I wish I had these videos to show my buddies back in the day, you have a way of explaining things in a very simple and fun way. Many of my friends (myself included) learned D&D the exact opposite of this fantastical and creative play-style, focusing on rules and strict guidance from maps and grids. I can only hope a new generation of players find these videos so I can be part of a fun game group again lol!
Ander R Wood's, Fey Whine. It's one of the few books I enjoy. It starts with a strong hook, and it's fast paced. The character interaction is really good and the gods that interact with the mortals are amazing.
I'm miserably late to this party but funfact: Adam Koebel, one of the designers for Dungeon World, has said repeatedly that Burning Wheel is his favorite RPG, without a doubt.
Thank you for the list. Of course, I have read many of the books you mention. Time to read some again - as it has been more than a decade for some of them. Got Dungeon World and I am reading it (again). I do not have Burning Wheel, yet. I have taken the Oath of the Dungeon Master - so you know what I am doing - reading. Thank you for the reading list. Do another required reading - video number 2, please for the 200 Level reading list. Thx!
PSA: Since Hankerin recommended reading the *entire* Conan library, you should know that Modiphius has bundled every Conan RPG digital book they have into a 2.5GB mega PDF bundle for $30. Apparently they're no longer going to be selling the Conan books and so they've made this bundle available until June 30 (tomorrow).
Steven Erikson's Malazan Book of the Fallen. Very complex and deep lore and all inspired by a GURPS game that the author used to play. It kinda shows how deep a tabletop RPG can go. And it's an amazing series, although, not for the faint of heart.
Holy Shit - Just saw your video from back in march and realized, that you just named all my favourite books here! Read all Howard and Lovecraft allready for about, i guess, 3-4 times! In terms of youtubecraft - you nail it, too - man. Love your videos!!
+Freyveley And i love all the weird tales stuff from back in the days. And the collaboration and friendship between Lovecraft and all those other authors, like Howard and stuff. Just look at the first published Howard stories and how he tried to web the lovcraftian cosmos in his Conan stories! It's heavenly cool!
Just watched this old video of yours. It made me want to try meade for the first time as a 47yo scotch loyalist. Tried some tonight and I love it! (Couldnt agree more on the reading, too)
I'm running a game with a thieves guild based on The Gentleman Bastards. (Scott Lynch - The Lies of Locke Lamora) I simply substitute the Benefactor for Mask in my game. I'm trying not to make them the center of my campaign, but i like them a lot.
Love the reading list and some others mentioned in the comments! There is one author, however that everyone seems to have missed! H. E. Modesitt...... Some very fine stories and background for a lot of sessions in his work!
Yeah, bro - absolutely! ELRIC fucking rules and definetly belongs among the TOP-5 fantasy core epics. My quick top-5-list would be: I. H.P. Lovecraft (totally agree with Hank'rin) II. Robert E. Howard (totally agree with Hank'rin) III. J.R.R. Tolkien (Hobbit, Ring, Silli) IV. Michael Moorcock (Elric, Hawkmoon, Corum) V. ancient mythorical Sagas of (at least northern) Europe
step 1.go to your local bookstore look at a book in the Fantasy idle. step 2. read the backcover does it seem interesting . yes go to step 3 - no go to step 1 again. step 3. buy it. XD
I get it, especially with the Lovecraft thing, but I think other writers, including Terry Pratchett, Joe Abercrombrie, and I scratched off The Silmarillion, it would help but you need to have a party that is into fantasy THAT much for it to actually help. Runic alphabets are a must, and I go for other stuff like Angels and classic mythology that most people can find relatable.
I own the Conan Anthology and it’s my favourite book on the shelf! I often see the Necronicon on the shelf in the book store looking similar in style and it entices me. For the longest time I had no idea who H.P Lovecraft was, and then he more I read about Robert E Howard the more I found out about the connection to Lovecraft. Still haven’t read any of Lovecrafts work. One day maybe. The thing I love about Conan is the true sense of dread and horror he creates. In a world of logic the supernatural becomes terrifying. That’s the kind of stuff that grips me, and from what I understand, Lovecraft is similar. My issue is my players love the moments of humour and silliness that arises in our high seas dnd adventure. So I’m finding myself needing to find a balance.
One movie that's really worth a watch is Gamer: The Dorkness Rising. It's got an interesting concept for plot, but far more importantly, it's pretty funny.
Great topic, and one that gets undersold in gaming. It makes me think back to what I was reading when I first started playing the game (back in the day). One of the series I read was Katherine Kurtz' Deryni series. I recently re-read the original trilogy, and while they aren't that great and definitely not deep, they still will hold a special place in my heart for the atmosphere they created in my imagination. However, to go back to the two greats, Lovecraft and Howard (both of which I love), I would add a third, a contemporary of the two: C. L. Moore. She wrote at a time when it was not "becoming" for a woman to write such stuff, but her works are strong. I would say she easily is the link between Lovecraft and Howard in terms of writing material. Her great character, Jirel of Joiry, is a red-haired fighting woman who will not be ruled by a man (a la Howard's Conan) and a lot of her adventures takes her into weird places (a la Lovecraft) like a plane of shadows, where she sees a sickly thorn bush with the shadow of some trapped animal trying to get away.
H.P Lovecraft is my absolutely favorite author, and his stories inspired me a ton for the campaign I'm working to guide my players through. The stories in Kadath are freaking amazing
I usually draw my inspiration for stories from movies I've seen and games I've played. As I'm a fan of Phantasy Star, a lot of my game world has elements of it (an long-dead ancient high-tech society combined with a magic setting). At the same time, I'm a fan of H.P. Lovecraft and the tales of Solomon Kane, so that sort of thing also flavors my game.
amazing episode. brilliant work as usual. for inspiration I can also recommend long running scifi tv series, such as startrek and stargate. most of the plots can easily be changed to fit a fantasy story. also the fionavar tapestry and the wheel of time, not very ground breaking in itself, but good reading many other writers have been inspired by (ohh yeah read the dark tower by stephen king, the best scifi/fantasy/horror/timetravel stuff i've read in a long while)
i love you. You are a wonderful human being and your existence makes the world a whole lot moe better. And you are also the reason i need a second life or something, cause how the hell am i gonna read all these books thank you very much.
+1 that Book of Vile Darkness! I love that book! I've actually got a copy of it on my phone for a quick reference ot some things. I'd love to see a 5e update of it.
I will like to suggest the fans of Drunkens & Dragons to read Clark Ashton Smith. Like Robert E. Howard and Howard P. Lovecraft he worked for the Weird Tales magazine and his tales are like a bridge between the Chtulhu Mythos and the Hyborian Age, specially those belonging to the Zothique cycle and Hyperborea cycle. His characters, Zathrampa Zeiros and Eibon could had been perfectly the main inspiration of Gygax and Arneson for the D&D thief and spellcaster respectively.
Could you maybe make that video where you bludgeon us over the head with 45 book recommendations? I love learning about new books to read! If you were to make such a video, would "The Worm Ouroboros", by E.R. Eddison make the cut. It is a bit tough, but I kinda love it.
Man, i DM since 12y (now 28) and ffs dude your advice are one of the best that i have ever take, every single fck video, congrats from brazil you rock!
If I could addendum a little bit. Classic fantasy is great. Classic dark fantasy is great. However, I've noticed this more recent trend toward "modern fantasy". I don't mean stuff like Shadowrun and Cyberpunk. I mean like fantasy in a modern, urban setting. In this instance I would certainly recommend some more mandatory reading for both DMs and players alike. For me, the best sources are Neil Gaiman (American Gods at least) and Jim Butcher's Dresden series. I suppose the Harry Potter books could help but there is a definitive line in there that separates the modern world from the traditional fantasy setting. Also, before I forget, Discworld is always worth a mention when talking about fantasy settings. Pratchet, I feel, is this perfect mix of derivative fantasy and originality. For those unfamiliar, Discworld is a series that prides itself on recognizing fantasy tropes and then making a mockery of them. Edit: I forgot about this at first. I would think The Dark Tower series is worth a read as far as amalgamous fantasy is concerned. I'll be the first to tell anyone that it gets progressively worse as it goes on but there are a lot of good ideas and themes in there that should be explored.
I'm a little late on the comments on this video. Still trying to get caught up on them all since I just found them not too long ago lol. As far as videos go, I just finished binging a Netflix series called The Dragon Prince that highly recommend. I love the characters and story and the art design is cool though it reminds me of some video games.
LOADS of great classics out there, these ones included. I also recommend watching 13th Warrior. It was historically inaccurate, but it will always stand the test of time. I made it into a campaign using the Kaorti from the Fiend Folio for a bunch of my buddies who had never seen the movie. One of my best campaigns to date.
yeah, come to think of it, there haven't been many movies about sword and sorcery that were any good. Hope that changes. Although I did like the Conan movie with Jason Momoa for some reason.
Fritz Leiber had a tremendous influence on D&D back in the '80s. Which is why TSR bought the publishing rights to his Lankhmar works. His writing were/are the source of things like Prestidigitation and the Bazaar of the Bizarre.
I been really wanting to find some alternative rules for D&D 5e ... never thought till watching your conversion from pathfinder video that almost all of it would be well structured within 3.5s Unearthed Arcana.
The Book of Exalted Deeds also had that stupid 18+ label on it and all it really had was a drawing of a boob in it, not even a pair! Good list though man, read about half of them and now have a list of more to check out. If ya can find it, if ya haven't already had it, give Viking Blod a try, damn good mead.
Thank you for sharing all this! I would like to recommend The Mabinogion Tetralogy by Evangeline Walton (Old Welsh myths). Gave me lot's of idea's and a nice view on stuff like planewalking, or what the Norse Hell would be like (Annwn's realm, misty and abstract). Anyway I am geeking out here (enthusiasm). Just found your video's, love them and staying for more!
im not going to recommend a book but rather recommend a mead. bartholomews mead from australia. the regular honeymead is sweet and light. the metheglin is spicy. they also have many berries and citrus. theres tons of flavor out there with mead. ive had many different brands and by far i think bartholomews is the best on the planet
We could finally beat the orcs' asses and here is the list of recommended books for the future people: 1. Necronomicon by H.P. Lovecraft (4:19) 2. Complete Chronicles of Conan by Robert E. Howard (7:00) 3. Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkien (9:30) 4. Using the Runes by D. Jason Cooper (11:10) 5. Book of Vile Darkness (D20 System) (14:10) 6. Dungeon World Core Rulebook (16:23) 7. Burning Wheel RPG (17:28)
I know this is an old video, but HOLY SHIT I couldn't agree more with the first 2 - in fact, just this last Xmas I received the complete works of HP Lovecraft and all the Conan stories of Robert E. Howard from my wife after hearing me rave about em & reading various stories piecemeal over the last 15 years since we got married. LOL I grew up on the Frazetta painting-covered Conan paperbacks of the 60s-70s and had the red box D&D set as a young geek... You want a real mindfuck? Check out the writings of Kenneth Grant - he was a student of famed British Occultist Aleister Crowley(rhymes with 'holy', NOT like the Ozzy song!) & became a legend in his own right in the occult world... or just plain batshit nuts, depending on who you want to listen to. Hehehehe Anyhoo, Grant believed that although HP Lovecraft was an avowed stone cold athiest, he was in fact an Occult Adept UNBEKNOWNST TO HIMSELF and was in fact CHANNELING real entities & experiences from "The Akashic Record", a concept from Hinduism that all that is, was or ever will be exists as knowledge that can be 'tapped into' or accessed thru mystic means. Lovecraft said much of his stories came from dreams and he would wake up and write them down... Kenneth Grant believed THEY WEREN'T DREAMS! 0_0
I really dig how the wizard in the film Dragonslayer utters a few words of Latin when casting spells. That's how it ought to be done in RPGs as well. Makes spellcasting more dramatic, and requires magic user players to put some effort into memorizing spells cuz isn't that what wizards did in their down time? Also, if players screw up the incantation phrase, the spell will misfire...
Ahhhh, yes. The Book of Vile Darkness. "The Good Book", as it's labeled amongst my friends and I. So many wicked and twisted ways to screw over your players. Good to see a list. I need to get back into reading, and I'm sure some of these will help.
If you want to get an idea how to play fairy creatures, try Carolyn White's book "A History of Irish Fairies" which talks about fairies in Irish fairy tales...It's almost like an equivalent for fairy tales to the runes book you mention -- which, by the way, I found for $1.39 on Amazon and read the first part as you suggested because I like myths too and i wanted to know more stuff...You can combine that fairy book with Wendy & Brian Froud's pictures and text because they tell you what fairies are like too...You learn their behaviors and their motivations and what the world is where they live, and then you can put them in your game and play them out...like a badass fairy badassimo...this ain't no party, this ain't no disco...and it ain't a disney movie!!!
I am a new DM and the books i am reading now ( i have read silmarilion hobit and the lotr books) i am reading Legend of Dridzzt (not sure i spell that right) i have 16 books and i am so excited :D i love the underdark and the living of the dark elfs but i will see to Hp Lovecraft since i'v heard so much about him ... Connan i dk i never liked connan. i read the DnD books and started creating the world and then i though hey lets read books and see what happens SOOO many ideas from books ... any book even if it is a pirates book or anything u will get gr8 ideas ... I started your chanel yesterday and i really like your way of thinking m8 ( i dont drink but ) I am havinga great time :) i will become a regular
Necronomicon (anthology of HP Lovecraft).
Complete Chronicles of Conan.
Silmarillion.
Using the Runes.
Book of Vile Darkness.
Dungeon World.
The Burning Wheel.
You're welcome.
J Rosenbaum thank you!!!!
J Rosenbaum Cheers
Just what I was scrolling for
This is why I read comments, thank you
the dude needs to list this in the description with amazon affiliate links
I am an ole old school dm, been doing it since 1980, was a kid player in late 70's, why do i say this..... don't know, just found your channel and was blown away with your passion. Have enjoyed watching a bunch of your videos the last 3 hours. great stuff.
This topic looks like it's worth another video! Reading is cool!
Drunkens & Dragons: Play D&D Like a Badass A great book series is beyonders. It has great ideas.
Drunkens & Dragons: Play D&D Like a Badass I am a new DM, although I should probably call myself an aspiring DM because I haven actually ran a game yet, on account of scheduling problems. As a result, I have had a lot of time to flesh out my world, and while I also get a fair bit of inspiration from H.P. Lovecraft, I have an otherwise completely different bookshelf. I take a lot from world history and folklore(the campaign is set in a magical but not really steampunk version of the world in the nineteen twenties) because I'm a bit of a history buff, I am a big Neil Gaiman fanboy, so a lot of Sandman DNA is strewn about, tiny bits of Game of Thrones is in it for good measure. Heck, I'd even say that the Soulsborne games by from software informed my ideas about exposition. The look of the New York analogue is something like Neo Tokyo in Akira, Niihama from Ghost in the shell, diagon ally from Harry Potter, Gotham, specifically the version from Long Halloween(10 out of 10, would super recommend), and the actual New York from the nineteen twenties, sort of a neon soaked city of magic and sin where your wildest dreams could come true, but that's not very likely. Sorry if I rambled.
overpreparation often becomes railroading. I can understand your feelings. You are anxious because it's your first time and you don't want to be prepared. My suggestion is not to prepare much anyway. And overall, follow the process described in Dungeon World to build the adventure, i.e. Fronts. Much easier.
Pray tell good sir...ever see "LOVECRAFT-FEAR OF THE UNKNOWN"?It's the definitive documentary on HPL's life,influence, and legacy. Neil Gaimen, Guillermo DelToro, John Carpenter, Peter Straub...and many more all chime in. ruclips.net/video/jg9VCf5einY/видео.html
Michael Moorcock Elric series (fighter spellcasters & sentient cursed swords). David Cooks Black Company series (Grimdark Mercs & adventuring companies). Scott Lynch's Gentleman Bastards series (thieves & rogues).
Derivative: 3.5e Draconomicon
DM college series would be awesome. Zero to hero: limited knowledge to working knowledge. All DMs had to start somewhere and I would totally watch a series you put together. Cover the gambit of planning, dm screen setup, organization, npc development, towns. I’ve seen a lot of videos but truly enjoy stepping in what you’re throwing down.
love the idea!
You are just the DM of all DMs. You are making me better at the craft. I really appreciate your videos. You fucking rule man!
Just as Tolkien's Fellowship of the Ring has the prototypical dungeon crawl in the Mines of Moria, RE Howard's The Tower of the Elephant has a magnificent description of the stnd rowdy tavern setting at the beginning of the story .
Totally on board with Howard and Lovecraft. I watched this vid again just to hear the praise for those two.......
I would add some of the often campy but still fun movies from the 70s and early 80s to the list.
Beastmaster,
The Sword and the Sorcerer,
Red Sonya,
Hawk the Slayer,
The Archer: Fugitive from the Empire,
Deathstalker.
Circle of Iron,
and of course the classic Excalibur!
And I would have to say that "Reign of Fire" even though it's modern and not D&D style is one hell of a dragon movie. The scene where the male lands on the roof and breaths down into the keep ... damn.
Of course, Matthew McConaughey armed with a fire ax is a perfect example of how to play a dwarf.
Robert E. Howard and H.P. Lovecraft actually corresponded. Can't really say they were friends, because Lovecraft was a shut-in and didn't really go out or talk to people. But they were frequent correspondents and Lovecraft was happy for Howard to use some elements of Lovecraft's mythology. Also--I totally agree with you on Burning Wheel. PAINFUL.
Joe Abercrombie's books are full of badass characters and awesomely described violence. Really tempted to make a Bloody Nine npc, and maybe a Curden Craw too, he's awesome.
Man, I just discovered you through your Blades in the Dark video, and gotta say, you're a new favorite. I wanna hang out by the fire, drink, and talk games with you!
If you want to go a little outside the box, I would 100% recommend reading through the two greek historical classics Anabasis by Xenophone and Histories by Herodotus. While based on actual events, they are written in such a way that will instantly feel familiar to fans of modern fantasy literature. Histories read like a precursor to the Silmarillion with a focus on "lore" building while giving context to the adventure of the Anabasis. Since they come from an era with a more primitive understanding of the world and science, references to the gods and stories of myth are scattered throughout the narratives, lending a sense of believability and authenticity to the fantastic.
Definitely useful to all aspiring storytellers. 10/10 would read.
Heres another brick for ya: DragonLance, the chronicle.. All three autumn, winter and spring in one.. A really nice hard cover. CLASSIC!
Love those books! There's a combo hardback?! YES!
This is one of my favorite of your videos. I picked up Conan and HP Lovecraft after watching this a few years ago.. great recommendations. I'm still subscribed but find your older videos more interesting than your new stuff.
If anything, I learned that the answer to "what else should I read?" is "everything"
I made way too many content for a weird local anime system by using tips from DnD and cyberpunk2020
I just recently got introduced to D&D by a friend of mine who invited me to join in on a game that he is running. I haven't actually gotten a chance to play yet but if watching videos about it is this entertaining I seriously can't wait to jump in and actually play! Thanks for the reading recommendations
You are putting out super cool and valuable info for the D&D crowd with great focus on becoming a great DM. Thank you, thank you. The books you mention in this video, I vow to seek and buy and ingest. They sound like tremendous grounding that will enhance believable spontaneity and improvisation, as well as good, old fashioned pre-planning and adventure building. I'm building my 2nd DnD adventure for several of my friends, which I hope to kickoff in a couple months. It will have decidedly more non-combat challenges and role-playing with greater number of well-developed, colorful NPC's, and with fewer but more meaningful and thrilling combat encounters. Here is an excerpt of some 'flavor text' in one place of my world. This text is not to be read verbatim to the players but instead for the DM's eyes only to inspire him (or her) to act out the NPC dialogue expressively. So, here it is -----> "Stingy with his ale as well as his trust, SAKA BOOGERS, the proprietor of BOOGERS tavern, is abundant in common sense and twice more in skepticism and suspicion. His two 6’6” tall adopted sons are bouncers that spend much of their time drinking and eating SAKA’s profits and hitting on the clientele or newly hired staff. They are extremely attractive identical twin brothers in appearance only. DAKYL is extremely manly boarderline gruff, while MOONROY is as gay as the day is long. If it weren’t for their diametric mannerisms it would be impossible to tell these gorgeous long blond haired, warrior spirited and lethally skilled swordsmen apart. If it weren't for SAKA's extraordinary tolerance and undying love for his two sons, they would have been out on their ears long time ago." ..... Oh, and BTW, I recently enjoyed the fantasy novel "The Prince of Thorns" by Mark Lawrence. I found it to be a great read, with gritty detail of the medieval times. ... Oh, and your ink on paper drawings are gorgeous. Great line and cross-hatching. Really fine fine art work. Very imaginative. Thanks again for being so generous with your ideas and words of wisdom.
I unfortunately find that a lot of people see anything larger than a magazine and they freak out. "I could NEVER read a book with 200+ pages!" I am here to tell you YES YOU CAN!!! Read, absorb and travel within the limitless bounds of your mind. Great video! I really dig your videos. Keep up the good work and ::raising a glass of porter:: Sláinte!!!
Freaking great video. I wish I had these videos to show my buddies back in the day, you have a way of explaining things in a very simple and fun way. Many of my friends (myself included) learned D&D the exact opposite of this fantastical and creative play-style, focusing on rules and strict guidance from maps and grids. I can only hope a new generation of players find these videos so I can be part of a fun game group again lol!
Ander R Wood's, Fey Whine. It's one of the few books I enjoy. It starts with a strong hook, and it's fast paced. The character interaction is really good and the gods that interact with the mortals are amazing.
another good source of inspiration: The Last Wish. compilation of short stories from the witcher series.
Liked it!
I'm miserably late to this party but funfact: Adam Koebel, one of the designers for Dungeon World, has said repeatedly that Burning Wheel is his favorite RPG, without a doubt.
Thank you for the list. Of course, I have read many of the books you mention. Time to read some again - as it has been more than a decade for some of them. Got Dungeon World and I am reading it (again). I do not have Burning Wheel, yet.
I have taken the Oath of the Dungeon Master - so you know what I am doing - reading.
Thank you for the reading list. Do another required reading - video number 2, please for the 200 Level reading list. Thx!
lol sipping, reading fantasy, playing dnd.. love this guy, u must be a badass dm. cheers from germany
PSA: Since Hankerin recommended reading the *entire* Conan library, you should know that Modiphius has bundled every Conan RPG digital book they have into a 2.5GB mega PDF bundle for $30. Apparently they're no longer going to be selling the Conan books and so they've made this bundle available until June 30 (tomorrow).
Steven Erikson's Malazan Book of the Fallen. Very complex and deep lore and all inspired by a GURPS game that the author used to play. It kinda shows how deep a tabletop RPG can go. And it's an amazing series, although, not for the faint of heart.
And Fritz Leiber, who bridges the gap between Lovecraft and Howard.
Holy Shit - Just saw your video from back in march and realized, that you just named all my favourite books here! Read all Howard and Lovecraft allready for about, i guess, 3-4 times! In terms of youtubecraft - you nail it, too - man. Love your videos!!
+Freyveley And i love all the weird tales stuff from back in the days. And the collaboration and friendship between Lovecraft and all those other authors, like Howard and stuff. Just look at the first published Howard stories and how he tried to web the lovcraftian cosmos in his Conan stories! It's heavenly cool!
Just watched this old video of yours. It made me want to try meade for the first time as a 47yo scotch loyalist. Tried some tonight and I love it! (Couldnt agree more on the reading, too)
I'm running a game with a thieves guild based on The Gentleman Bastards. (Scott Lynch - The Lies of Locke Lamora) I simply substitute the Benefactor for Mask in my game. I'm trying not to make them the center of my campaign, but i like them a lot.
Love the reading list and some others mentioned in the comments! There is one author, however that everyone seems to have missed! H. E. Modesitt...... Some very fine stories and background for a lot of sessions in his work!
Michael Moorcock & Fritz Leiber are my go to fantasy authors.
Yeah, bro - absolutely! ELRIC fucking rules and definetly belongs among the TOP-5 fantasy core epics. My quick top-5-list would be:
I. H.P. Lovecraft (totally agree with Hank'rin)
II. Robert E. Howard (totally agree with Hank'rin)
III. J.R.R. Tolkien (Hobbit, Ring, Silli)
IV. Michael Moorcock (Elric, Hawkmoon, Corum)
V. ancient mythorical Sagas of (at least northern) Europe
That's pretty much my list as well. I've got a really cool idea to run Robert E Howards 'Almuric' as a hexcrawl/Westmarch style campaign.
The Fortress of the Pearl was epic.
EXTRA REQUIRED READING: "The Lies of Locke Lamora."This book is badass!
I really liked this educational video but I do wish that you had listed the books in your description.
no time..orcs incoming
step 1.go to your local bookstore look at a book in the Fantasy idle.
step 2. read the backcover does it seem interesting . yes go to step 3 - no go to step 1 again.
step 3. buy it.
XD
@Donald Sims That would have been very convenient.
I get it, especially with the Lovecraft thing, but I think other writers, including Terry Pratchett, Joe Abercrombrie, and I scratched off The Silmarillion, it would help but you need to have a party that is into fantasy THAT much for it to actually help. Runic alphabets are a must, and I go for other stuff like Angels and classic mythology that most people can find relatable.
agree, except Abercrombie.. I cannot read that stuff
I own the Conan Anthology and it’s my favourite book on the shelf!
I often see the Necronicon on the shelf in the book store looking similar in style and it entices me. For the longest time I had no idea who H.P Lovecraft was, and then he more I read about Robert E Howard the more I found out about the connection to Lovecraft. Still haven’t read any of Lovecrafts work. One day maybe. The thing I love about Conan is the true sense of dread and horror he creates. In a world of logic the supernatural becomes terrifying. That’s the kind of stuff that grips me, and from what I understand, Lovecraft is similar.
My issue is my players love the moments of humour and silliness that arises in our high seas dnd adventure. So I’m finding myself needing to find a balance.
I love your recommendations Hank! knowledge is power.
Audiobook versions of these books and more like them are available on RUclips right now for free. Just in case you cant get a copy of these books.
One movie that's really worth a watch is Gamer: The Dorkness Rising. It's got an interesting concept for plot, but far more importantly, it's pretty funny.
Just managed to snag a copy of 3rd ed Book of Vile Darkness for $25! So excited to read through this thing!
Great topic, and one that gets undersold in gaming. It makes me think back to what I was reading when I first started playing the game (back in the day). One of the series I read was Katherine Kurtz' Deryni series. I recently re-read the original trilogy, and while they aren't that great and definitely not deep, they still will hold a special place in my heart for the atmosphere they created in my imagination.
However, to go back to the two greats, Lovecraft and Howard (both of which I love), I would add a third, a contemporary of the two: C. L. Moore. She wrote at a time when it was not "becoming" for a woman to write such stuff, but her works are strong. I would say she easily is the link between Lovecraft and Howard in terms of writing material. Her great character, Jirel of Joiry, is a red-haired fighting woman who will not be ruled by a man (a la Howard's Conan) and a lot of her adventures takes her into weird places (a la Lovecraft) like a plane of shadows, where she sees a sickly thorn bush with the shadow of some trapped animal trying to get away.
H.P Lovecraft is my absolutely favorite author, and his stories inspired me a ton for the campaign I'm working to guide my players through. The stories in Kadath are freaking amazing
I enjoy your point of view about all this shit!
I usually draw my inspiration for stories from movies I've seen and games I've played. As I'm a fan of Phantasy Star, a lot of my game world has elements of it (an long-dead ancient high-tech society combined with a magic setting).
At the same time, I'm a fan of H.P. Lovecraft and the tales of Solomon Kane, so that sort of thing also flavors my game.
amazing episode. brilliant work as usual. for inspiration I can also recommend long running scifi tv series, such as startrek and stargate. most of the plots can easily be changed to fit a fantasy story.
also the fionavar tapestry and the wheel of time, not very ground breaking in itself, but good reading many other writers have been inspired by (ohh yeah read the dark tower by stephen king, the best scifi/fantasy/horror/timetravel stuff i've read in a long while)
What an amazing video, thanks for a great reading list :)
Need to do a video on your reading library.
i love you. You are a wonderful human being and your existence makes the world a whole lot moe better. And you are also the reason i need a second life or something, cause how the hell am i gonna read all these books thank you very much.
Twist the bottle not the screw.Doesnt damage the cork
IIRC Lovecraft and Howard knew each other and wrote back and forth a lot. Contributed to the similarities.
+Spenser Clark One wonders if Lovecraft further splintered Howard's deeply troubled mind...
+Drunkens & Dragons: Play D&D Like a Badass very possible!
I love Burning Wheel. The sessions go through so much story because every roll has some sort of meaning.
+1 that Book of Vile Darkness! I love that book! I've actually got a copy of it on my phone for a quick reference ot some things. I'd love to see a 5e update of it.
I will like to suggest the fans of Drunkens & Dragons to read Clark Ashton Smith. Like Robert E. Howard and Howard P. Lovecraft he worked for the Weird Tales magazine and his tales are like a bridge between the Chtulhu Mythos and the Hyborian Age, specially those belonging to the Zothique cycle and Hyperborea cycle. His characters, Zathrampa Zeiros and Eibon could had been perfectly the main inspiration of Gygax and Arneson for the D&D thief and spellcaster respectively.
Could you maybe make that video where you bludgeon us over the head with 45 book recommendations? I love learning about new books to read! If you were to make such a video, would "The Worm Ouroboros", by E.R. Eddison make the cut. It is a bit tough, but I kinda love it.
Piers Anthony's Xanth series. Good reading for DMs or anyone for that matter.
This video was badass!
This channel is badass!
Great ideas and good inspiration.
Man, i DM since 12y (now 28) and ffs dude your advice are one of the best that i have ever take, every single fck video, congrats from brazil you rock!
Dude I just found your channel and I just wanted to say that you're badass! Thanks for the videos man.
My main DM used to draw from all the "Lord of the Rings" books all the time. :)
hell yeah! ive just started reading more fantasy literature for inspiration and for fun. its so much fun!
The adventures of Baron Munchausen, fantastic roleplaying advice/rules
Awesome videos! I'd totally forgotten about Conan actually so I'm going to go pick it up!
If I could addendum a little bit. Classic fantasy is great. Classic dark fantasy is great. However, I've noticed this more recent trend toward "modern fantasy". I don't mean stuff like Shadowrun and Cyberpunk. I mean like fantasy in a modern, urban setting. In this instance I would certainly recommend some more mandatory reading for both DMs and players alike. For me, the best sources are Neil Gaiman (American Gods at least) and Jim Butcher's Dresden series. I suppose the Harry Potter books could help but there is a definitive line in there that separates the modern world from the traditional fantasy setting.
Also, before I forget, Discworld is always worth a mention when talking about fantasy settings. Pratchet, I feel, is this perfect mix of derivative fantasy and originality. For those unfamiliar, Discworld is a series that prides itself on recognizing fantasy tropes and then making a mockery of them.
Edit: I forgot about this at first. I would think The Dark Tower series is worth a read as far as amalgamous fantasy is concerned. I'll be the first to tell anyone that it gets progressively worse as it goes on but there are a lot of good ideas and themes in there that should be explored.
Boom! Epic reply, Darchus! Totally agree on Dark Tower...what a tragedy that descent in quality was after the first book.
Sad not to see Elric of Melnibone on the list
I have had that exact same Necronomicon for years!
Absolutely mad shoutouts for including Lovecraft's work.
Awesome video dude, love it!!!
I stumbled upon your channel tonight and you are interesting as hell to listen to.
Not sure how you forgot about Hawk the Slayer, but that empty bottle in the foreground might have something to do with it. :)
I think Torchbearer is probably the more stream lined Burning Wheel but I don't know if the good content is still there.
I'm a little late on the comments on this video. Still trying to get caught up on them all since I just found them not too long ago lol. As far as videos go, I just finished binging a Netflix series called The Dragon Prince that highly recommend. I love the characters and story and the art design is cool though it reminds me of some video games.
I would also recommend the Elric of Melnibone books by Micheal Moorcock
LOADS of great classics out there, these ones included. I also recommend watching 13th Warrior. It was historically inaccurate, but it will always stand the test of time. I made it into a campaign using the Kaorti from the Fiend Folio for a bunch of my buddies who had never seen the movie. One of my best campaigns to date.
+LAJackson123 love thatmovie..and book
19:09 Stygian! The best!
You are one interesting Dude. I knew about this stuff but didn't realize these books were foundations to sword and sorcery.
H.P. and R.E. were personal friends, which I find cool.
yeah, come to think of it, there haven't been many movies about sword and sorcery that were any good. Hope that changes. Although I did like the Conan movie with Jason Momoa for some reason.
Fritz Leiber had a tremendous influence on D&D back in the '80s. Which is why TSR bought the publishing rights to his Lankhmar works. His writing were/are the source of things like Prestidigitation and the Bazaar of the Bizarre.
+Christian Oliver love me some mouser..that first book is so harsh!
I been really wanting to find some alternative rules for D&D 5e ... never thought till watching your conversion from pathfinder video that almost all of it would be well structured within 3.5s Unearthed Arcana.
Well, Pathfinder was intentionally based on 3.5e to my knowledge, so it makes everything surprisingly plug-and-play.
The Book of Exalted Deeds also had that stupid 18+ label on it and all it really had was a drawing of a boob in it, not even a pair!
Good list though man, read about half of them and now have a list of more to check out.
If ya can find it, if ya haven't already had it, give Viking Blod a try, damn good mead.
Viking Blod is great! Thanks for watching man...F 'dem stickers!
badass video! big fun of yours man! Drunkens & Dragons: Play D&D Like a Badass keep up the good work ! ! !
I read through Mike Mignola's comic adaptation of fafhrd and the gray mouser and I was like "wow, this is want I want to be playing in"
Jack Vance has some good stuff too, like "Loom of Darkness"
Fun Fact, Robert E. Howard was a Lovecraft fanboy while he was writing Conan. Great Vid as ever.
Great vid! The Book of Vile Darkness is invaluable in helping DMs build out and flavor their villains. It's a must own book.
+Roger Farley have it!
That Conan book is my prized possession
I feel a fun and simple book that can give some ideas is amulet
Well there's a Christmas list: Dungeon World, Burning Wheel and some gang derm Conan.
That collected works features edited editions, I believe! The Del Rey editions are superior IMHO!
Thank you for sharing all this! I would like to recommend The Mabinogion Tetralogy by Evangeline Walton (Old Welsh myths). Gave me lot's of idea's and a nice view on stuff like planewalking, or what the Norse Hell would be like (Annwn's realm, misty and abstract). Anyway I am geeking out here (enthusiasm).
Just found your video's, love them and staying for more!
gaheris81 I am going to have to look for that, my wife is Welsh. Great profile pic, Hail Odin!!
Nolan Kinshella Thank you! One of the most beautiful symbols. Hail Odin! :)
Great read!
The All Father smiles on you..well, when He smiles it's more like a grimace.
Drunkens & Dragons:are you Heathen?
"One God is enough for your people. We have need of many!"
-Dennis Storhoi
im not going to recommend a book but rather recommend a mead. bartholomews mead from australia. the regular honeymead is sweet and light. the metheglin is spicy. they also have many berries and citrus. theres tons of flavor out there with mead. ive had many different brands and by far i think bartholomews is the best on the planet
HP Lovecraft writing is unmatched, sometimes I have to take a moment to absorb how he structured a sentence or paragraph.
I highly suggest The Dream Cycle of H.P. Lovecraft if you can find that collection, and I wish I knew what happened to my Book of Vile Darkness.
Automatic like and comment for Lovecraft and Howard.
We could finally beat the orcs' asses and here is the list of recommended books for the future people:
1. Necronomicon by H.P. Lovecraft (4:19)
2. Complete Chronicles of Conan by Robert E. Howard (7:00)
3. Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkien (9:30)
4. Using the Runes by D. Jason Cooper (11:10)
5. Book of Vile Darkness (D20 System) (14:10)
6. Dungeon World Core Rulebook (16:23)
7. Burning Wheel RPG (17:28)
I know this is an old video, but HOLY SHIT I couldn't agree more with the first 2 - in fact, just this last Xmas I received the complete works of HP Lovecraft and all the Conan stories of Robert E. Howard from my wife after hearing me rave about em & reading various stories piecemeal over the last 15 years since we got married. LOL I grew up on the Frazetta painting-covered Conan paperbacks of the 60s-70s and had the red box D&D set as a young geek...
You want a real mindfuck? Check out the writings of Kenneth Grant - he was a student of famed British Occultist Aleister Crowley(rhymes with 'holy', NOT like the Ozzy song!) & became a legend in his own right in the occult world... or just plain batshit nuts, depending on who you want to listen to. Hehehehe Anyhoo, Grant believed that although HP Lovecraft was an avowed stone cold athiest, he was in fact an Occult Adept UNBEKNOWNST TO HIMSELF and was in fact CHANNELING real entities & experiences from "The Akashic Record", a concept from Hinduism that all that is, was or ever will be exists as knowledge that can be 'tapped into' or accessed thru mystic means. Lovecraft said much of his stories came from dreams and he would wake up and write them down... Kenneth Grant believed THEY WEREN'T DREAMS! 0_0
I really dig how the wizard in the film Dragonslayer utters a few words of Latin when casting spells. That's how it ought to be done in RPGs as well. Makes spellcasting more dramatic, and requires magic user players to put some effort into memorizing spells cuz isn't that what wizards did in their down time? Also, if players screw up the incantation phrase, the spell will misfire...
totally agree!
Disagree, that like telling your players to do push ups to roll to hit, or to slap the GM to roll for damage.
Ahhhh, yes. The Book of Vile Darkness. "The Good Book", as it's labeled amongst my friends and I. So many wicked and twisted ways to screw over your players.
Good to see a list. I need to get back into reading, and I'm sure some of these will help.
I'm so happy to see all the books you recommended on my shelves :D
If you want to get an idea how to play fairy creatures, try Carolyn White's book "A History of Irish Fairies" which talks about fairies in Irish fairy tales...It's almost like an equivalent for fairy tales to the runes book you mention -- which, by the way, I found for $1.39 on Amazon and read the first part as you suggested because I like myths too and i wanted to know more stuff...You can combine that fairy book with Wendy & Brian Froud's pictures and text because they tell you what fairies are like too...You learn their behaviors and their motivations and what the world is where they live, and then you can put them in your game and play them out...like a badass fairy badassimo...this ain't no party, this ain't no disco...and it ain't a disney movie!!!
+Violet Deliriums Jack Vance's Lyonesse has the best trickster fey I've encountered. Maybe because my inner NPC is always like that too.
***** Yes....I like tricksters...
I am a new DM and the books i am reading now ( i have read silmarilion hobit and the lotr books) i am reading Legend of Dridzzt (not sure i spell that right) i have 16 books and i am so excited :D i love the underdark and the living of the dark elfs but i will see to Hp Lovecraft since i'v heard so much about him ... Connan i dk i never liked connan. i read the DnD books and started creating the world and then i though hey lets read books and see what happens SOOO many ideas from books ... any book even if it is a pirates book or anything u will get gr8 ideas ...
I started your chanel yesterday and i really like your way of thinking m8 ( i dont drink but ) I am havinga great time :) i will become a regular
+Chris Pandaz great to have you! keep searching, and dream big!
Will do.